Devcom Army Research Laboratory Broad Agency Announcement For Foundational Research

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory, through the Army Research Office, is offering the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Centers of Excellence Research Program under Broad Agency Announcement W911NF-23-S-0001-0004. The program is designed to establish highly collaborative research opportunities involving Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities and major Army Research Office research programs. The initiative is intended to expand the Army research base, strengthen research and engineering capabilities at participating institutions, encourage collaboration with other institutions of higher education and defense organizations, and provide opportunities for students who may become the next generation of scientists and engineers. Research is focused on fundamental knowledge and understanding in Chemistry, Materials, and Information Science related to long-term national security needs. The announcement identifies six research areas: Embodied Intelligence for Enhanced Human-Machine Interaction; Active Matter Under Extreme Conditions; Detect, Deter, and Defeat Artificial Intelligence Insider Threats; Principles for Constructing Learning Enabled Systems; Solid-State Energy Interfaces Center of Excellence; and Dynamic Response of Structures with Consideration of Rapid and Concentrated Heating. Applicants are expected to propose innovative scientific study and experimentation aligned with Army research priorities. Whitepapers should explain what the research intends to uncover and how it advances the state of the art, why the research is significant to its scientific or engineering field and the U.S. Army, and how the research will be conducted to reduce risk, increase the probability of success, and maximize return on investment for the Army. Approximately $1.29 million per year is anticipated for the program, supporting up to three Centers of Excellence at approximately $430,000 each per year for five years. This corresponds to approximately $2.15 million over five years for each Center and approximately $6.45 million across three Centers if funding is provided at the stated annual level for the full five-year period. Up to 30 percent of a project each year may be used as a subaward to foster collaboration. Applicants may collaborate with up to one degree-granting Institution of Higher Education, and collaborations with other entity types are not permitted. Equipment purchased through the program must be installed and remain at the HBCU or TCU receiving the grant. Funds may not be used for construction or modification of buildings or building support systems, fixed equipment such as clean rooms and fume hoods, operation and maintenance, extended warranties, user fees, or maintenance agreements. Foreign travel is not allowed. No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated. Eligibility is limited to covered educational institutions under 10 U.S.C. 4144, specifically Historically Black Colleges or Universities and Tribal Colleges or Universities classified as such at the time of participation. Faculty, postdoctoral associates, and graduate research assistants at applicant and partner institutions may participate. Each named Principal Investigator may submit only one whitepaper. An institution may submit to more than one research topic, but each topic requires a separate submission. The Government anticipates establishing three Centers of Excellence, although some research areas may receive no award and more than one award may be made in a research area. Awards are contingent on the availability of funds and the Centers of Excellence meeting technical goals. The application process has two stages. Applicants must first submit a timely whitepaper, and only applicants whose whitepapers are highly rated and who receive an invitation from the Government may submit a full proposal. Whitepapers may not exceed six pages, consisting of one cover sheet plus five content pages. The submission includes a three-page Project Summary or Abstract describing the research and collaboration, institutions, and technical area; a page identifying the Principal Investigator and other key personnel and summarizing their research credentials; and a final page containing a budget outline and justification. The cover sheet must identify the whitepaper title, submitting individual and organization, applicable research area, and Technical Point of Contact. Whitepapers must be combined into a single PDF and submitted by email to usarmy.rtp.devcom-arl.mbx.hbcu-mi-programs@army.mil. Invited full proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov and include a technical proposal or project description not exceeding 15 pages and a budget for each year of requested support. Whitepapers and invited proposals are evaluated using three criteria in descending order of importance: overall scientific and technical merit; potential contribution to the Army mission; and qualifications, capabilities, and experience of the proposed Principal Investigator, team leader, and other key personnel critical to accomplishing the objectives. Army Subject Matter Experts will review whitepapers, and support contractors may participate in reviews subject to nondisclosure and conflict-of-interest requirements. Applicants are encouraged to make preliminary inquiries to the Technical Point of Contact associated with the applicable research area before investing extensive effort in preparing a submission. Questions regarding program execution and administration may be directed to Justin Smith at justin.r.smith191.civ@army.mil. Whitepapers are due October 7, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Questions related to whitepapers are due October 1, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Whitepaper evaluations are expected to be completed November 6, 2026, followed by requests for proposals on November 13, 2026. Invited proposals are due January 15, 2027 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and award selections are expected in April 2027. The announcement states that schedule dates may change based on the number of whitepapers received and proposals invited. The source does not establish this HBCU Centers of Excellence opportunity as a recurring annual or other regularly scheduled competition.

Align the whitepaper tightly with one stated Army research priority and explain what will be discovered, why it matters scientifically and to the U.S. Army, and how the work will be executed. Emphasize scientific and technical merit, contribution to the Army mission, and the qualifications of key personnel because those are the evaluation criteria in descending order. Make preliminary inquiries to the relevant Technical Point of Contact before investing extensive effort. Submit early enough to avoid late receipt, because late whitepapers are ineligible. Keep the whitepaper within 6 pages and combine all materials into one PDF.